Investigating Metal Activity: Determining the Activity Series of Metals

GOALS
After completing this laboratory activity, students should
be able to:
-make observations of chemical reactions involving a metal and acid
-develop an activity series for the given metals
-justify the results using chemistry concepts
CONCEPTS
1. Metal reactivity depends upon its ability to give up electrons in a chemical reaction.
2. Most metals react with acid to form hydrogen gas.
VOCABULARY
-metal
-reactivity
-single replacement reaction
-activity series

This laboratory activity is appropriate for high school chemistry and ChemCom courses. This activity should be able to be completed in a typical 50 minute class period. The required equipment and materials include spot plates or test tubes, metal samples, and 0.1M or 1.0M HCl. Students should already be familiar with the laboratory safety rules. If spot plates have not been used in the past, instructions on their use will need to be given. Students should have some experience with chemical reactions and their differences. This activity is appropriate for either the periodic table unit or the chemical reactions unit. Due to the use of HCl, this lab needs to be done in an appropriate laboratory space with adequate ventilation and available sinks.

A possible anticipatory set for this activity would be the demonstration of the hydrogen "pop" test. As students discuss that reasons for the production of hydrogen, ask whether any metal combined with HCl will produce this reaction. This will lead to the objective of this lab to determine the activity of four mystery metals. The materials needed for this lab include 4 metal samples- such as magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, and tin-spot plates/test tubes, 0.1M HCl or 1.0M HCl, and a container for disposal of waste products. The students will be instructed that they are to determine the activity of each of the metals and rank them according to their results. They should be able to justify their decision. Once this results have been compiled as a class, discuss how the activity aligns with the metals
positions on the periodic table. Also, the published version of the activity series may be compared to the results. Students should also explain any discrepancies between their results and the publish information. Lab Handout ( 38kB Sep18 08)

This is a guided inquiry activity, so instructors need to be prepared for various results from students. Student results may not match the published activity series due to that oxide coating found on most metals, the amount of time students observe each reaction, and student's interpretation of the results.

If the attached data sheet is used, students may be assessed as is typical of the instructor. Another assessment that may be used is to generate an example of some observations from another set of metals and have students interpret the data. If students are required to use a lab notebook, the assessment typically used would be appropriate.

II.A.2 Structure of matter: relationship of an element's position on the periodic table to its atomic number and mass
II.A.4 Structure of matter: use the periodic table to identify regions, families, groups and periods
II.B.1 Chemical Reactions: describe chemical reactions using words and symbolic equations